1. Field of the Invention
The present invention concerns reduced calorie spoonable dressings that exhibit freeze-thaw stability. More specifically, the invention relates to spoonable dressings wherein some or all of the blended salad oil has been replaced with a fatty acid-esterified propoxylated glycerin composition having from about 3 to about 16 oxypropylene units per unit of glycerin. Replacement of the blended salad oil with these fatty acid-esterified propoxylated glycerin compositions provides the spoonable dressing with exemplary freeze-thaw stability.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional spoonable dressings, such as full fat mayonnaise, lack freeze-thaw stability. Dressings made with blended salad oil, such as soybean oils or other lipid based fats, will incur complete emulsion break after being frozen. The freeze-thaw characteristics of such dressings, like mayonnaises, are undesirable, for example, when storage and transportation occurs in climatic conditions wherein temperatures are below freezing. The lack of freeze-thaw stability of conventional dressings limits transportation and storage options available for full fat spoonable dressings. Conventional dressings, if frozen after a period of time, will separate when thawed thus rendering the dressing un-marketable.
It has now been found that certain fatty acid-esterified propoxylated glycerin compositions can be employed as a substitute for some or all of the blended salad oil in spoonable dressings such as mayonnaise. The compositions have a bland flavor and the ability to form a stable emulsion. The use of fatty acid-esterified propoxylated glycerin compositions as a partial replacement for all or some of the fat surprisingly provides the dressing with freeze-thaw stability. The freeze-thaw stability of the dressings improves as increased amounts of blended salad oil is replaced with the fatty acid-esterified propoxylated glycerin compositions. The dressing comprising the fatty acid-esterified propoxylated glycerin compositions as full or partial replacement for blended salad oil has reduced calories compared to full fat dressings. Thus, fatty acid-esterified propoxylated glycerin compositions can be used to make fine tasting, premium quality spoonable dressings having smooth texture, good spreadability and reduced calories with freeze-thaw stability.
Since fats make up approximately forty percent of the diet and provide about twice the amount of calories per gram compared to proteins or carbohydrates, research efforts have focused on ways to produce low fat and no fat foods that provide the same functional and organoleptic properties as their full fat counterparts, but not the calories. These efforts have led to the development and utilization of carbohydrate and protein based fat extenders for non-heated applications (e.g. mayonnaise) and the development of lipid based fat replacers for both non-heated and heated applications. Drawbacks to the utilization of carbohydrate and protein based fat extenders, however, include potential flavor and taste problems, substandard texture and lack of "fatty" mouthfeel.
Fat replacement compositions which have been developed for use in low calorie fat containing foods are known. An early development employing sugar fatty acid esters is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,600,186.
Low fat and no fat mayonnaise prepared with lipid based fat replacers are described in the art, and examples include acylated glycerides (U.S. Pat. No. 4,582,715), sucrose octaesters (U.S. Pat. No. 4,797,300), alkyl glycoside fatty acid polyesters (U.S. Pat. No. 4,840,815), polysiloxane oil (U.S. Pat. No. 4,983,413), cyclohexyl diol diesters (U.S. No. Pat. No. 5,006,351), long chain diol diesters (U.S. Pat. No. 5,008,126), amide ether derivatives (U.S. Pat. No. 5,063,075), complex linked esters (U.S. Pat. No. 5,064,678), alcohol amine esters (U.S. Pat. No. 5,093,142), amide linked fat mimetics (U.S. Pat. No. 5,139,807), acylated amino acid ester derivatives (U.S. Pat. No. 5,190,782), primary amide esters (U.S. Pat. No. 5,190,783) and fat mimetics having mineral core with fatty coating (U.S. Pat. No. 5,230,913). However, no mention has been made that the substitution of vegetable oil with these fat replacers in mayonnaise improves product quality or stability, including providing the mayonnaise with freeze-thaw stability. All of the low calorie fat replacement compositions discussed above have drawbacks either in the processes which employ them, or the flavor and mouthfeel characteristics of the finished reduced fat products.
Reduced calorie food compositions containing fat-type organoleptic ingredients are known wherein an esterified epoxide-extended polyol is employed as a full or partial replacement for vegetable oils and fats. Fat substitutes of this type are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,861,613 to White et al. (referred to herein as "White" and incorporated by reference herein in its entirety).
Applications of the assignee of the invention involving the replacement of conventional fat in comestible products with fatty acid-esterified propoxylated glycerin compositions are currently pending. These Applications involve the use of fatty-acid esterified propoxylated glycerin compositions in milk products, Reduced Calorie Reconstituted Milk and Milk Products, Ser. No. 08/572,277 filed on Dec. 13, 1995 and fried snack foods, Reduced Calorie Fried Snacks, Ser. No. 08/575,711 and Reduced Calorie Fried Snacks Having a Cooling Sensation When Placed in the Mouth, Ser. No. 08/575,373 both filed on Dec. 20, 1995. These applications do not involve dressing preparations or the effect of fatty acid-esterified propoxylated glycerin compositions on freeze-thaw characteristics.
In the present specification and claims, all parts and percentages are by weight unless otherwise specified.